General Graduate School Admission Advice

Timeline
The how’s, when’s and what’s of applying for Graduate school. Use this handy feature to keep up to speed on what you need to do – and when.

Is Graduate School Right for You?
Graduate school can be quite a rewarding experience; there’s no doubt about that. However, it is a decision to make only after much careful consideration. Before undertaking this substantial commitment, we recommend that you fully introspect on the following four questions.

Why Grad School Will Not Be Like Undergrad
A common misperception voiced by people who have never been to graduate school is that people who do apply to grad school are trying re-live their college years. In reality, anyone who applies to grad school with that goal in mind is in for a big disappointment.

Which is Right for You? A Master’s or a Ph.D.?
Although master’s and doctoral degree programs are often grouped together in the category of “graduate education,” the two programs represent different educational experiences and often lead to different career paths. Anyone considering graduate school should give careful consideration as to which program is the better option for them.

Sometimes It’s Best to Say Nothing About a Poor Grade
The axiom that ‘no one’s perfect’ holds as true for college students as it does for anyone else. Even serious, dedicated, hard-working students sometimes graduate with a transcript that includes one or two poor or even failing grades. Those grades can later become a major source of anxiety for students who decide to apply to graduate schools. What should you do if you’re a grad school applicant with one of those less-than-perfect college records?

Be Up Front With Your Failings
Undergraduate transcripts are a fundamental part of any graduate school application – and many grad school applicants have something on their transcripts that worries or embarrasses them.

Letters of Recommendation
Most graduate schools require letters of recommendation. You need to think strategically about whom you choose to write these letters.

Your GPA and Your Admission Chances
It’s not unusual for a grad school applicant to worry about how their undergrad GPA might affect their admissions chances. Many misgivings can be put to rest by understanding how admissions committees look at academic records.

Graduate School Waitlist Advice
One of the most concerning situations you may face as a graduate applicant is how you should handle a waitlist offer from a school you really want to attend. The decision can be difficult as you decide whether to flood your school with additional material, hoping that something you send will convince the admissions team to admit you, or …

Choosing the Right Recommenders
Every part of a graduate school application is important. That said, letters of recommendation are one application component that many applicants should pay far more attention to.

Should You Take the Time to Say ‘Thank You’?
So is the use of a thank-you note – creative or not – going to give you an inside edge and land you an admissions offer from your target school? We asked one of our consultants her opinion on the matter.

Case Studies
Real students, real situations. Find out how our consultants helped these graduate school hopefuls overcome their obstacles and into their target schools!

Financing Your Graduate School Education
If you’re hoping to get any kind of financial aid for graduate school, the whole process starts with the FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid. If you have a few years before you will be applying, then you may want to seek out a financial planner to help you with your positioning.